Understanding the impacts of domestic abuse Training session for Accord HQ Rosie Agnew 1 About SafeLives • We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good. • We are independent, practical and evidence-led, with survivor voice at the heart of our thinking. • We work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We want what you want for your best friend: • Action before someone is harmed or harms others • Harmful behaviour identified and stopped • Increased safety for everyone at risk • The ability for people to live the life they want after harm has happened @ SafeLives 2020 Charity No 1106864 / Scottish Charity SCO48291 2 What do we do? Place people with lived experience at the heart of all we do and amplify their voices. Test innovative projects and replicate effective approaches that make more people safe and well. Combine data, research and frontline expertise to help services improve and to influence policy makers (locally and nationally). Offer support, knowledge and tools to frontline workers and professionals. © SafeLives 2018 3 The Whole Picture: Our strategy to end domestic abuse, for good The whole person: domestic abuse is never all of someone’s experiences or situation. © SafeLives 2020 4 What will we be covering in this session? • Prevalence, definitions and dynamics of domestic abuse • How an abusive relationship develops • The impacts and effects of abuse • Sources of help and support 5 Domestic abuse in the UK Every year, over 2 million adults aged 16-59 in the On average, victims UK suffer some form of wait three years domestic abuse. 3 years before getting the 85% of victims of domestic support they need. abuse seek help five times on average before they get effective support. Two women a week are killed by a current or ex- partner in England and Wales. Only one in five victims of partner abuse calls the police @ SafeLives 2020 Charity No 1106864 / Scottish Charity SCO48291 6 Many people experiencing domestic abuse have multiple needs and many are ‘hidden’ from services. 32% of homeless women said Almost a quarter (23%) of young domestic abuse contributed to people exposed to domestic their homelessness. abuse are also demonstrating harmful behaviour themselves, 61% against the mother. Disabled women are twice as likely to On average, older victims experience domestic experience abuse for abuse as non- twice as long before disabled women. accessing help as those aged under 61. Victims with mental health needs were more likely to LGBT+ victims of domestic abuse are have problems with more than twice as likely to have self- drug and alcohol use. harmed and are almost twice as likely to have attempted suicide. @ SafeLives 2020 Charity No 1106864 / Scottish Charity SCO48291 7 Domestic abuse affects the whole family - children do not just ‘witness’ domestic abuse, they are victims in their own right At the time they start school at least A third of children living with domestic one child in every classroom will abuse reported mental health have been living with domestic abuse impacts. Just under have anxiety, since they were born. 28% have problems sleeping, and 23% have feelings of shame or responsibility for the abuse. Contact visits were identified as an opportunity for ongoing abuse for 20% of children and young 13% of children supported by people supported by services. domestic abuse services admit to doing things they know are dangerous. Almost 9% have Around 30% of children in exposure to ‘harmful associates’ households supported by an Idva were not known to children’s services. In a fifth of cases (20%) the child tried to intervene to stop the abuse. @ SafeLives 2020 Charity No 1106864 / Scottish Charity SCO48291 8 Home Office definition of domestic abuse Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse: Psychological Physical Sexual Financial Emotional © SafeLives 2015 9 Home Office definition of domestic abuse Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim. This definition, which is not a legal definition, includes so called 'honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group. © SafeLives 2015 10 Serious Crime Act 2015 Coercive and controlling (England & Wales) Deprive means of To harm, punish, independence, frighten resistance, escape Acts to assault, threaten, humiliate, intimidate, subordinate, isolate, regulate, make dependent Psychological Emotional (Undermine security of Sexual abuse/ Stalking & (Undermine self-respect, Economic/Financial logic/reasoning, confusing, feelings) coercion Harassment anxiety inducing) Mental Restricting your access to Checking & Pressured to have money sex monitoring Threats Belittling communication/ Controlling time/space Insulting Pressured to take Interfering with your ability part in sexual acts movements Intimidation Humiliating to earn money Following Irrational jealousy Shouting/swearing Refusal to use contraception Spying Instilling fear Name calling Deliberately passing Defining your reality Mocking Having money/property sexual diseases Constant, Changing the rules Criticising stolen repeated contact Withdrawing affection Causing Being defrauded … pain/humiliation when out socially … Your personality, Being put under pressure Coercing sex for and/or in work Periods of return to appearance, work, in relation to money, to go out romance, apologies parenting, money/property homemaking, religion Via person and/or technology Charming…Encouraged to share secrets “GROOMING” Intense romance… Access to your life 11 How does an abusive relationship develop? © SafeLives 2020 12 Biderman’s chart of coercion Isolation: This can look like the start Exhaustion: of any relationship. Criticism/nagging/verbal abuse “Honeymoon period” Lots of Arguments Walking on eggshells texts/calls/messages. Prioritising Moving goal posts Wearing them time together. Spending less time down Gendered expectations Using with friends/family. Sharing secrets privilege Sleep deprivation from the past. Intimacy. Sexually Unreasonable demands Restricting adventurous behaviour. Making access to support Physical/sexual plans for the future. Moving in violence together. Joint finances. Starting a family. Degradation: Insults Criticising Threats: ‘You’ll lose the children” appearance Belittling sexual Of death or physical harm to victim performance Public humiliation or others Of sexual violence to victim Withholding personal items Sexual or others “I’ll leave you” Of suicide abuse Forcing to commit criminal ‘Where will you go?’ ‘I’ll say you are acts Controlling sleep – when and mad’ “I’ll find you” “No-one else will where Controlling or restricting food want you” “You won’t cope” To Using children – accusing of bad disclose sexuality or gender identity To reveal secrets or past behaviour parenting.© SafeLives 2015 Having affairs. 13 Patterns of abuse… The Cycle of Violence • Violence / Abuse • Violence / Abuse • Remorse • Signals • Hearts and Flowers • Tension building Same Old Stuff CAADA Risk Training 14 Experts tell us: The impact of living in an abusive household gender regime is that women (and children) adapt their behaviour to cope. Their thinking and actions are narrowed, as they attempt to live and be his version of who they should be. If interventions are not appropriate the web tightens. It becomes harder and harder to imagine life outside of this control, what it is to have freedom of thought and action. We call this limiting space for action Professor Liz Kelly © SafeLives 2020 15 'He tried to control which friends I spoke to, tried to build barriers between myself and my parents, hacked into my emails and tried to entrap me by impersonating former boyfriends, [he] would tell me I was stupid, was violent towards former boyfriends and was emotionally manipulative.' 'I was fearful of ending the relationship because he made me feel like I could not cope without him. He also threatened suicide if I left him' 'Emotional tension - the feeling of having to be careful not to upset or anger them' 'Long term controlling and isolation, undermining my self confidence, threats to out me, financial control, sexual manipulation, control and abuse' © SafeLives 2020 16 How worried should you be? Controlling behaviour Breach of orders Separation Threats of harm WEAPONS Economic control ONLINE MONITORING LOTS OF TEXTS Sexual abuse Animal abuse Threats of suicide Pregnancy Harassment Fear History of violence Cultural issues Escalation Child contact issues Financial issues Poor mental health Criminal history THREATS TO KILL Isolation Multiple perpetrators Substance misuse Stalking © SafeLives 2015 17 Checking immediate risks and safety • “Do you feel safe at home right now?“​ • “What are you afraid might happen?” ​ • “Are you concerned for the safety